Prevention Strategies

Know Your Risk

Do you know the three major factors that increase your risk of developing skin cancer? The first is your skin type or how easily your skin is damaged by the sun, the second is where you live, and the third is what you do at work and when you relax.

Who You Are
+ Where You Live+ What You Do
Personal Risk Factor for Sun Damage

Who You Are

Everyone’s skin can be damaged because of sun exposure. One way to measure your risk is by your skin’s likelihood to burn, which can be determined on this six point scale.1 People with Skin Types I and II are at the highest risk.

Skin Type I

Skin Type II

Skin Type III

Skin Type IV

Skin Type V

Skin Type VI

Always burns, never tans, sensitive to sun exposure

Burns easily, tans minimally

Burns moderately, tans gradually to light brown

Burns minimally, always tans well to moderately brown

Rarely burns, tans profusely to dark

Never burns, deeply pigmented, least sensitive

Other risk factors include:

Blond or red hair

Blue, green or gray eyes

Skin that freckles easily

Many moles; large moles

Family members with melanoma

Male

Note that people with darker skin are also at risk for skin cancer and the aging effects of the sun. Their risk is just not as high as people who have lighter skin and the other risk factors.

Where You Live

Regions closer to the equator, higher in elevation and with many dry, sunny days increase the UV radiation exposure people receive each day. If you are in the mountains, you have even less protection as UV radiation increases by 5% for every 1000 feet above sea level. For example, at an altitude of 10,000 feet, UV is 50 percent more intense than at sea level.

What You Do

Your work and recreational activities also have an effect on your skin cancer risk. People who work outdoors and/or spend time outside recreating increase their risk for skin cancer because of increased UV exposure. Other things you do can increase (tanning) or decrease (sun protection) your risk.